Cronus
by hp-ewrgdr
Summary: Time goes by and everything will change but, way down deep inside, we all just stay the same.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**Cronus **by kacau

Time goes by and everything will change but, way down deep inside, we all just stay the same.

**. Lost**

All his life that was pretty much how he had always felt; lost. Without home, without a place. And so, out of his solitude and frustration, came his hatred.

Sasuke knew his child self would hate what he'd become. All his family would.

So much darkness, so much pain... Why had he let himself get to that point?

And even as he thought about his mistakes, his ideas suddenly clear from all the drugs Orochimaru had been forcing on him, his mind at the brink between sleep and consciousness, revenge was still his main concept.

Because he was still so alone, still so lost, Sasuke needed a goal, something that he could actually do something about, to be able to survive another day.

**. Beautiful**

After years of living with Orochimaru, after blood and pain and hurting, he had finally found them again.

His mind was confused and his memories weren't completely there and Naruto's face showed so much anger he kept questioning himself what the hell had happened.

When had Naruto lost that foolish grin? When had Kakashi got that hating glare he was currently sending him? Who was that dark-haired man and why was he where Sasuke used to be years before?

In the middle of it all, of all the emotions threatening to burst his stoic complexion, of all the horrible things he had seen in the last few years, Sasuke saw her. Fierce, determinated, so different and still so Sakura.

And he realized that he had never seen anything, anyone, so beautiful.

**. Regret**

It wasn't until he had left Orochimaru that he started to regret his choices.

He was more alone then he had ever been and the only person he could blame for that was himself.

Sasuke tried, it's true, to blame his brother but something just wasn't right.

He knew his brother and, even if his main goal was to kill Itachi, deep inside he knew that wouldn't bring him peace. Just as she had said.

She, Sakura.

That might have been the biggest mistake of all; leaving her.

Clenching his fists, Sasuke would say that no, he did not miss her, them. He was better alone.

But, still, there would be moments solitude caught up to him and, in the back of his mind, Sasuke wished she was there so that he could hear her sweet call for him just one more time.

**. Alike**

He had stopped questioning himself. It diminished the trouble.

Having people around helped. They would be loud and irritating and would take his mind off of himself.

It wasn't until he met Kakashi again, on a moment neither of them wanted to waste time, that he had realized the similarities.

"I am not here for you, Uchiha. Just let me go and there won't be a word about this meeting. Naruto and Sakura have suffered enough with false hopes." The copy ninja had said. The disapointment in his glare made Sasuke's chest hurt.

"What, grampa, afraid to fight us?" Suigetsu had beat him and was already taking out his sword.

"Put that away, idiot! You have to obey Sasuke-kun! Don't you know who this man is? Use your head for once in your life!" Karin had stopped the other, punching him to the ground with irritation.

"Karin, could you please stop hurting Suigetsu? There is an enemy in potencial with us at the moment." Juugo intervened calmly.

Even through his mask, he could tell Kakashi was smirking and a new glow glistened in his uncovered eye. Sasuke frowned.

"Go. Forget you ever saw us." The Uchiha had ordered, discarting the surprised looks on his companions faces.

The copy-nin had nodded and walked across the field, stopping just before the entrance of the forest. He turned around, an expression Sasuke remembered from his childhood on his face, glee.

"And you talk about severed bonds." He chuckled. "It almost seems like you found yourself a new team 7."

Kakashi was gone before Sasuke had thought about what to answer to that.

As his team slept, that night, Sasuke would stare into the diminishing fire, remembering his former sensei's words.

It was true, he realized. The people he had chosen did have strong similarities with the ones he had left behind. In his hazed, sleep deprived mind, the Uchiha wondered how he had never noticed.

But even in such a state, Sasuke could also see the differences.

Juugo could be calm and pacific as Kakashi had been but for distinct reasons. Kakashi was lazy and lighthearted while Juugo was serious and kind. Juugo was a friend but Kakashi? Kakashi was like his father.

Suigetsu and Naruto were both impulsive and could act as idiots many times but the difference between them was even stronger. The missing nin was a cold blooded killer, he did not care for many things and he had a malicious air about himself. Naruto, on the other way, was just innocent. Despite how he had grown, the blonde was warm, playful and open to every opportunity. He believed in people and in himself in a way the avenger hadn't seen in anyone else. He was Sasuke's best friend.

And, then, there was Sakura and Karin. He had to admit, both could be annoying, fawning over him and idolizing him. But, Sasuke reminded himself, Sakura had changed. The last time they had met, she hadn't hesitated to try to take him down. To his surprise, the man found she had actually grown stronger. The change was unsettling.

No, he couldn't compare them. Sakura was naive, kind, emotional, intelligent. Karin was smart, it was true, but she was careless, selfish. Karin was infatuated by him.

"_I love you with all my heart!_"

Sakura loved him.

A smile crossed his expression.

Yes, they might be alike but they meant completely different things to him.

**. Truth**

And that was it.

His whole life had been a lie. His brother had killed their family to save their village.

Was it worth it?

All those people, all those stupid faces, they knew nothing! And the same people Itachi had tried to protect had made him a missing nin, a traitor, a pariah.

Sasuke wanted to see them burn.

And, then, there was a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not what he would have wanted, Sasuke. Itachi died to protect Konoha. Do you want to be the one to take away the least of reason out of your family's death?"

He knew it was her. He would have recognized that voice in the middle of a screaming crowd.

But he was just too hollow right then.

"Leave me alone, Sakura. I know what I'm doing."

He could feel her anger. It was almost embarassing how he could always feel her emotions as if they were pouring out of her skin and onto him.

"No, you don't!"

The blow to his back was unexpected and Sasuke fell to the earth with her kick, too exausted from the previous fight.

She was straddling him in a second, her hands grabbing onto his shirt in a threat.

"You won't destroy everything your brother tried to protect! I won't let you destroy our village, I won't let you destroy yourself anymore!"

And she had crashed her lips against his.

It was agressive and irritated and neither of them wanted it to end.

Because parting would mean facing reality. And reality meant Itachi's dead body, Madara's empty courpse, the Uchiha's coup d'etat and an ocean of trouble.

But when they parted and Sasuke looked into her emerald eyes, he realized he could never hurt her again, just as he couldn't hurt Konoha.

The Uchiha realized there weren't many things left for him but that he could always count on Sakura.

He was empty and frustrated and angry but he had found somewhere he belonged.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed. I tried to pour all the angst I imagined Sasuke would have into this piece and still give it a happy ending. Because that's just the way I roll. ;)


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